SUMMARY AS OF:
9/14/2000--Introduced.
Medicaid and SCHIP Improvement and Flexibility Act of 2000 - Amends titles
XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of
the Social Security Act (SSA) to mandate: (1) development and use of a uniform,
simplified application form for establishing eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP
benefits; and (2) coordinated enrollment processes.
(Sec. 2) Provides for the expanded availability of funding for administrative
costs related to certain outreach and eligibility determinations under Medicaid
and SCHIP with regard to children and pregnant women.
Directs the Secretary to establish a procedure with regard to the
participation of local and community-based public or nonprofit organizations in
outreach and enrollment activities if States do not otherwise obligate the
amounts made available under this Act.
Sets forth a special rule for certain enrollment and outreach activities
providing for use of three percent of SCHIP funds at a 90 percent Federal match
for such activities.
Amends SSA title XIX to provide for additional entities (including elementary
and secondary schools, child support enforcement agencies, and child care
resource and referral agencies) that are qualified to determine Medicaid
presumptive eligibility for low-income children.
(Sec. 3) Amends SSA title XXI to require a State health plan, to the extent
it provides coverage other than under the State's Medicaid plan, to provide a
three-month grace period before disenrollment for nonpayment of premiums, as
well as an opportunity for a hearing on the matter.
Prohibits State child health plan eligibility standards from permitting the
use of mandatory waiting periods, unless the Secretary finds that such a period
would not be contrary to title XXI.
(Sec. 4) Amends SSA title XIX to provide for: (1) automatic reassessment of
eligibility for SCHIP and Medicaid benefits for children losing Medicaid or
SCHIP eligibility; (2) optional SCHIP coverage of low-income, uninsured pregnant
women; (3) State option to cover qualified alien children under the Medicaid and
SCHIP programs; (4) elimination of the funding offset for exercise of the
presumptive eligibility option; (5) automatic enrollment of children born to
targeted low-income pregnant women receiving pregnancy-related assistance under
such programs; and (6) SCHIP and Medicaid program coordination with the Maternal
and Child Health Services program under SSA title V.
(Sec. 5) Provides that amounts allotted to a State under SCHIP under the
three-year availability of amounts allotted for FY 1998 and 1999 shall remain
available through September 30, 2002.
(Sec. 6) Amends SSA title XXI for the stated purpose of permitting an
increased share of SCHIP funds to be expended for prevention programs that
ensure healthy childhoods and quality prenatal health care.
(Sec. 7) Amends SSA title XIX for the stated purpose of providing for the use
of SCHIP funds for an enhanced matching rate for coverage of additional children
under Medicaid.